Department of the Interior

Biological Science Technician (Wildlife)

Dillon, Montana, Missoula, Montana Full time

Biological Science Technician (Wildlife)

Department: Department of the Interior

Location(s): Dillon, Montana, Missoula, Montana

Salary Range: $44959 - $64952 Per Year

Job Summary: Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource. We expect to fill few vacancies. This is a temporary appointment. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status and will be for a period not-to-exceed 1039 hours in a service year.

Major Duties:

  • As well as habitat distribution, conduct field surveys on proposed actions (timber sales, road construction proposals, land exchanges, etc.) for federally listed and sensitive wildlife species.
  • They may conduct monitoring of known sites to ascertain site occupation and reproductive success; conduct habitat/vegetation monitoring; conduct inventories for specific species in potential habitat areas.
  • Document locations using maps and GIS/GPS technology, enter data into databases and study files; interpret aerial photos, landsat imagery and topographic maps to determine land use and vegetation distribution and to plot nest/herd breeding sites.
  • Biological Science Technicians (Wildlife) actively monitor the wildlife species in specific locations to clear timber sales and provide baseline to assess management actions.

Qualifications: In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience requirement - please be sure to include this information in your resume. You must meet the qualification requirements to be found qualified. One (1) year at the GS-5 grade level performing the following: (1) aid in resolving wildlife related problems when performing wildlife surveys; (2) produce simple maps and reports with graphics; (3) enter and retrieve data from automated databases or spreadsheets; and (4) evaluate wildlife data collected for accuracy. GS-6: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5 level. Examples of specialized experience may include surveying, mapping and documenting a variety of wildlife species and habitat conditions; compiling occurrence and distribution data, cover maps, and herbarium study mounts; assisting in performing wildlife studies and in constructing wildlife habitat improvement structures; and compiling data obtained through survey/study and assembling the data into a logical sequence for review; -OR- Successful completion of one full year of graduate education directly related to the work of the position; -OR- A combination of experience and education to meet total experience. GS-7: One (1) year of specialized work experience equivalent to GS-6 level. Examples of specialized experience may include researching, compiling and tabulating a full range of wildlife inventory data; leading or conducting field inventories of wildlife species to develop scientific information; and collecting ecological site information for sensitive, threatened or endangered wildlife; -OR- Successful completion of one full year of graduate education directly related to the work of the position; -OR- A combination of experience and education to meet total experience. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Physical Demands/Work Environments: Work requires some physical exertion such as bending and walking/hiking in terrain that is rough, rocky, mountainous and densely vegetated that may also be steep, wet and muddy. Required to lift and carry equipment necessary to perform the work of the position, this includes tools, personal protective equipment, food and water for extended periods away from a vehicle. Work while in the office is performed in adequately lighted, ventilated, cooled and heated area. Fieldwork is subject to cuts and bruises, extreme and adverse weather conditions and injuries and discomforts from pests and animals.

How to Apply: THIS IS AN ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS THROUGH USAJOBS. Your application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time by the closing date of the announcement. If you need assistance in applying on-line, please contact the HR Office, Deena Huckabee at dhuckabee@blm.gov or Jacqueline Hodson at jcochrane@blm.gov. If applying on-line poses a hardship for you (i.e., you do not have access to the Internet) you must contact us prior to the closing date of the announcement for an alternative method of applying. PLEASE NOTE: If you have access to a public library, State Job Service Office, etc., you should use these resources to apply online. You must follow the steps described below to complete the application process: YOU MUST HAVE OR CREATE A PROFILE IN USAJOBS. Your profile must contain a current resume for submission. See Required Documents section for what to include in your resume. INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION COULD RESULT IN AN INELIGIBLE RATING. The USAJOBS Resume Builder was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is an available tool when you login to your USAJOBS account. Review the Appointment Eligibility Criteria: The eligibility section of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the appointment eligibilities that you selected. You must provide proof of your eligibility to be considered. You must submit a resume and also complete the online application and assessment questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. The eligibility portion of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this announcement. You may choose more than one eligibility. You must provide proof of your eligibility and will only be considered for the questions that you answer "yes". Please note, your eligibility will be based solely on the selections you have indicated in this section. You must provide the supporting documentation to support your claim to be considered. You may choose more than one eligibility in this section. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Application Deadline: 2026-01-02